Orion Energy Systems, designed by Plymouth, Wisc.-based Jim Pankow Architects, has created enormous economic opportunity in Wisconsin. The energy management company's new state-of-the-art technology center in Manitowoc, will serve as the expanding company's headquarters and operations center as well as a national destination for educational institutions and businesses to learn about energy efficiency.
Orion is a leading power technology enterprise that designs, manufactures and deploys energy management systems, consisting primarily of high-performance, energy-efficient lighting systems, controls and direct renewable products for the commercial and industrial sector.

Orion's innovation and technology recently won the praise of President Barack Obama, who applauded Orion in a White House speech promoting clean energy, the creation of green collar jobs and the importance of energy efficiency.

Orion is poised to meet President Obama’s challenge, using its technology to help the U.S. overcome electrical grid capacity challenges by delivering permanent distributed load reduction. Orion's technology centers on its integrated system that includes Orion's high-intensity fluorescent Compact Modular lighting platform, the InteLite® wireless control system and the direct renewable Apollo® Solar Light Pipe.

When deployed in industrial and commercial facilities, the integrated system permanently reduces energy consumption, freeing electrical capacity for constrained utilities, and decreasing greenhouse gases, which are the byproduct of an electricity generation.

Orion’s 70,000-sq.-ft. technology center incorporates a state-of-the-art shared loop heating and cooling system to minimize energy use, Orion's proprietary lighting system — including its Apollo® Light Pipes that harvest daylight using no electricity — and will utilize its southern exposure to capture thermal energy to decrease electricity consumption.

The technology center includes an auditorium for up to 90 people, catering to customers, community groups and school classes that Orion will host, promoting and encouraging energy efficiency.

The technology center also is designed for optimum employee interaction, with an open architecture of the facility's second and third floors, where most of the office employees will be located.

Orion has deployed its energy management systems in 4,387 facilities across North America. Since 2001, Orion technology has displaced more than 423 megawatts, saving customers more than $514 million and reducing indirect carbon dioxide emissions by 4.3 million tons. Orion’s technology was recently internationally recognized with a Platts Global Energy Award for the single most innovative and sustainable green technology of 2008.